MILITARY commander and Prime Minister Commodore Voreqe Bainimarama yesterday asked his officers to give their full support to the next army commander as he will resign from the post soon.

However, he has yet to announce who will succeed him.

About 200 military personnel participated in the first military parade for this year, where Commodore Bainimarama announced he would step down as military commander on February 28, this year, and will hand over the commission to his successor on March 1.

"Au gadreva meu vakadreti keda tale ena mataka nikua, ni sega ni visau nai tosotoso ni mataivalu, vakaga na vica na yabaki sa oti, na veigauna kece e visau na liuliu ni mataivalu, na mataivalu kei na kena veiqaravi kei na kena vakanananu e sega ni visau, ni solia na nomuni dina keina cecere ni nomu ni veiqaravi au a donuya mai vei koya na noqu i sosomi (I would like to reiterate that although you will see a new leader that does not mean that the plans and objectives of the military have changed. I am asking you to show your full support and commitment to the next commander, just as you have shown commitment and support to me)."

Commodore Bainimarama said some officers who had worked with them in trying to bring about a better Fiji for all Fijians had decided to work on other agendas.

But, he said, this should not be a hindrance to the work of making Fiji a better place for all Fijians and to protect the different races that call Fiji home.

He reiterated that there was a need to maintain the military as well as the relationships officers have formed between themselves.

He said they should be grateful for the small things the military, as well as the government, had done for them.